Hamrlik to get contract offer: report

Hamrlik’s agent, Petr Svoboda, confirmed to the newspaper that Canadiens general manager Pierre Gauthier would make an offer in the coming days, without commenting on a possible duration or value of the deal.

The native of Zlin, in the Czech Republic, played in 79 games for the Canadiens last season and has made it clear several times that he likes playing in Montreal and would like to continue his career here.

Hamrlik, 37, could become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 if no deal with the Canadiens is reached. The veteran is completing a four-year deal that paid him $5.5 million last season.

This follows on rumblings Tuesday that the Canadiens were close to re-signing Andrei Markov to a two-year deal, a report that was quickly dismissed by agent Don Meehan.